Storage container

ABSTRACT

A storage container comprising a four-sided structure having a bottom panel and a pivotally mounted top panel. The container is provided with a lateral beam extending side-to-side across a back panel thereof. Hinge means are fixed to the back panel and extend along three surfaces of the lateral beam, and are fixed to the top panel, such that the top panel is pivotally mounted on the back panel and adapted to open and close with substantially simultaneous engagement on the four sides of the top panel with the four sides of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a container having four side panels, a bottompanel, and a top panel, the side panels including a front panel, a backpanel and two end panels. A lateral beam is fixed on the back panel andextends parallel to the top edge of the back panel. Hinge means arefixed to the back panel and the lateral beam thereon, and to the toppanel, such that the hinge means is fixed to the back panel on bothedges of the lateral beam, and encloses a portion of the lateral beam.The hinge means facilitates pivotal movement of the top panel at a pivotpoint above the lateral beam and above an upper edge of the back panel.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Hinge means for trunks, and the like, are customarily mounted on a backpanel of the trunk spaced from any lateral beam extending across theback of the trunk. That is, the hinge means are generally mountedbetween the top edge of the trunk back panel and on the back panel, oron any lateral beam mounted on the back panel. Such providing the hingemeans between the back and the top member results in a relatively weakpivotal interconnection between top and back panels of storage trunks,which are often subject to rough handling in the course of loading andunloading the trunks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention presented herein, there is provided astorage container comprising a four-sided structure having a bottompanel and a pivotally mounted top panel. The container is provided witha lateral beam extending side-to-side across a back panel thereof. Hingemeans are fixed to the back panel and extend adjacent to three surfacesof the back panel lateral beam, and are fixed to the top panel, suchthat the top panel is pivotally mounted on the back panel, by virtue ofmounting on a side wall of the top panel and on the back panel lateralbeam, and is adapted to open and close.

The above and other features of the invention, including various noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts, will now be moreparticularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particulardevice embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only andnot as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features ofthis invention may be employed in various and numerous embodimentswithout departing from the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which is shown anillustrative embodiment of the invention, from which its novel featuresand advantages will be apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one form of storage containerassembly illustrative of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a first side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a second side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 6 is front perspective view of the hinge assembly portion of thecontainer assembly;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a hinge assembly portion of FIG. 6showing a portion of a container back lateral beam, with the top of thecontainer fully open;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hinge assembly shown in FIG. 7, withthe top of the container about half open; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the hinge assembly of FIG. 8, whereinthe top of the container is closer to closing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1-5, it will be seen thatthe storage container includes a front panel 2, a rear panel 4, andfirst and second end panels 6, 8, upstanding from a bottom panel 10.

A lateral beam 12 extends across the exterior of the rear panel 4,proximate and spaced from an upper edge 14 of the rear panel 4. Lateralbeams 16, 18, 20 may be provided on the front and end panels 2, 6 and 8.

Similarly, vertical beams 22, 24 may be provided on the front and rearpanels 2, 4, and front to rear top beams 26, 28 may be provided on a topsection 30.

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, it will be seen that hinge means 40, 42interconnect the rear panel 4 and top panel 30.

Each of the hinge means 40, 42 comprises a rear plate 50 having an innersurface 52 (FIG. 6) fixed to an outer surface 32 of the rear lateralbeam 12, as by fixture means 54 extending through openings 56, 58 (FIG.6) in the plates 50, and into the rear lateral abeam 12.

The hinge means 40, 42 each comprise a planar lower surface 45 extendingtoward the rear panel 4 and adjacent to the lower edge 15 of the rearlateral beam 12, and a lower-most planner surface 46, extending from aninner edge of the surface 45. The lower-most planar surface 46 isprovided with an opening 58 adapted to receive a fixture 60 for fixingthe surface 46 to the rear panel 4.

Each hinge means 40, 42 further comprises a planar upper surface 48extending toward the rear panel 4 and adjacent an upper edge 17 of therear lateral beam 12.

Extending upwardly from the hinge surface 48 is a flange 60 havingrotatably mounted thereon the plate 50 fixed to the top panel 30, as byfixtures 72, which may be wood screws, or the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the rotatable mounting between the plate 50and the flange 60 comprises a rounded sleeve 80 mounted on the upper endof the flange 60 and having mounted thereon collar means 82 fixed to,and extending from, the flange 60.

The sleeve 80 is spaced upwardly from the rear panel upper edge 84, suchthat the lower edges of the top panel 30 all engage the upper edges ofthe lower panels 2, 4, 6 and 8 substantially simultaneously, such thatexcessive wear on a given panel is substantially avoided.

It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limitedto the particular construction herein disclosed and/or shown in thedrawings, but also comprises any modification or equivalent within thescope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A storage container comprising: arectangularly-shaped bottom panel; a front panel, a rear panel, and twoopposed end panels upstanding from said bottom panel; a rear lateralbeam mounted on said rear panel and extending parallel to an upper edgeof said rear panel; hinge means fixed to said rear lateral beam and tosaid rear panel and extending over the top and bottom of said rearlateral beam; a top panel adapted to engage said front, rear, and endpanels to close the container; an upper portion of said hinge meansextending alongside a side edge of said top panel, and a further portionof said hinge means extending beyond an upper edge of said rear panel,and fixed to and supporting the rotatably mounted top panel adapted tooverlie upper edges of said front panel, rear panel, and end panels. 2.The storage container in accordance with claim 1, wherein the furtherportion of said hinge means comprises a cylindrical-shaped portionhaving annular grooves therein, and said top panel is provided withcollar portions rotatably disposed in said grooves, such that said toppanel is rotatably mounted on said cylindrically-shaped portion, and isfixed to said top panel, which is thereby movable between open andclosed positions.
 3. The storage contained in accordance with claim 2,wherein said top panel is provided with front, rear, and end wallportions adapted, respectively, to engage portions of said front, rear,and end panel upper edges.
 4. The storage container in accordance withclaim 2, wherein said front and end panels are provided with lateralbeams in alignment with said rear panel lateral beam.
 5. The storagecontained in accordance with claim 4, wherein said lateral beams areprovided with protrusions extending outwardly from outer surfaces ofsaid lateral beams.
 6. The storage container in accordance with claim 1,wherein said top panel is provided with a domed configuration.
 7. Astorage container comprising: a generally planar front panel; agenerally planar rear panel; said front and rear panels beingsubstantially parallel to one another, each of said panels having firstand second ends; a first end panel extending substantially normal tosaid front and end rear panels, and a second end panel extendingsubstantially normal to said front and rear panels, said end panelsbeing substantially parallel to each other and interconnecting saidfront and rear panels; a bottom panel fixed to said front, rear, firstand second end panels; and a top panel hingedly connected to an uppersurface of said rear panel and pivotally movable thereon between araised position wherein said top panel is removed from said front panel,said rear panel, and said end panels, and a closed position whereinunderside surfaces of said top panel are engaged with top surfaces ofsaid front and rear panels, and said first and second end panels; hingemeans interconnecting said rear panel and said top panel, such that saidtop panel is adapted to close onto the top edge portions of said frontand rear and side panels substantially simultaneously; a lateral beamfixed to said rear panel and extending from one of said end panels tothe other of said end panels, and extending parallel to said rear panelupper and lower edges; and two hinges spaced from each other and fixedto said rear panel and said lateral beam; each of said hinges having acentral plate portion fixed to the lateral beam extending lengthwise ofsaid rear panel, a lower portion extending from said plate portion anddisposed in part adjacent to a lower edge of said lateral beam, and afoot portion extending from an inner portion of said lower portion andfixed to said rear panel; each of said hinges further having an upperportion extending from said plate portion and engaging and fixed to anupper edge of said lateral beam and fixed thereto; and an upper portionextending from an inner portion of said upper plate portion and engagedwith said rear panel; a generally cylindrically shaped sleeve fixed oneach of said upper portions, and removed from said top panel; a topplate rotatably mounted on said sleeve, said top plate being fixed tosaid top panel, such that rotation of said top plate on said sleeveportion causes pivotal movement of said top panel to substantiallysimultaneously engage top edges of said front, rear, first end panel andsecond end panel, to close said container.